Suspension for vehicles



Sept. 21, 11937. H N X zmwss SUSPENSION FOR VEHI CLES Filed July 29, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet l Inventor Harry A Knmx Ev WWW M Sept. 21, 1937.

H. A. KNOX SUSPENSION FOR VEHICLES 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 l ll Filed July 29, 1936 InvEntmr Harv A Knmx Atturne Sept, 21, 1937., H. A. KNOX SUSPENSION FOR VEHICLES Filed July 29, 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Attmr'n E Patented Sept. 21, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HTZ Z ZZE 331x331. Application July 29, 1936, Serial No. 93,234

2 Claims. (01. 267-20) (Granted under the act oi March 3, 1883, as amended April 30, 1928; v3'70'0. G. 757) The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes, without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to a suspension for vehicles and is an improvement on the suspension of Patent No. 1,947,475 of February 20, 1934.

In thepatent a pair of independently mounted arms carrying supporting members are associated through a linkage whereby a spring yieldingly connects the arms to a vehicle body. In that arrangement certain elements of the linkage were subject to a severe twisting action which produced excessive wear and consequent .looseness.

The purpose of this invention is to provide an arrangement in which the parallel end links of the patent are eliminated and replaced by sliding surfaces.

A further object is to provide a suspension of this character in which several springs may be employed and a compact assembly obtained by lowering the seat for the springs.

To these and other ends, the invention; con sists in the construction, arrangement and combination of elements described hereinafter and pointed out in the claims forming a part of this specification.

A practical embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings,

wherein:

Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of a tracklaying vehicle equipped with the improved suspension units.

Figs. 2 and 3 are sectional views on the corresponding lines of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the load transmitting lever.

Fig. 5 is a view in side elevation of a modified form of the suspension unit.

Figs. 6 and- '7 are sectional views on the corresponding lines of Fig. 5.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view on,the line 8-3 of Fig. 7.-

Fig. 9 is a view in side modification.

Fig. 10 is a sectional view showing a pair of springs arranged longitudinally of the vehicle.

Fig. ii is a sectional view on the line il-ll of of Fig. 10.

elevation of another Fig. 12 is a schematic view showing one ot-j 55 3-3 about the supporting member of which is the arms trained an endless ground-engagin track C.

Each unit consists of a pair of successivelyarranged supporting members 5-5, each member having its axis 6 mounted in the extremities of a set of spaced a'rms 1-1.

The sets of arms for the members are journaled independently of each other on a support shaft 8 carried by and.

projecting laterally from the body A.

The oppositely extending arms 1 are associated through a lever 9 which includes arms overlying the arms I and having rounded ends in which slidably rest on seats ll provided on the upper sides ot/the arms 1 intermediate their ends.

A pin l2 passing through the central portio l3 of the lever 9 carries a pair of spring seats l4-l4-which are keyed in place on opposite sides of the central portion of the lever. volutesprings Iii-l5, each mounted A pair of on one of the seats l4 and held against lateral displacement by a pilot column l6 have their upper ends engaging a bracket I'I fixed to the body whereby they provide a yielding suspension between the body and the unit. The outer end of the bracket is supported by a plate l8 mounted on the shaft 8. The pin l2 extends beyond the spring seats and its ends are disposed in vertical guideways 7 l9 and 20 provided respectively in the plate l8 and in the side plate 2| of the vehicle body.

In this form of constructlon'the shaft 8 which is the pivot oi the arms 1-1 is positioned some distance below the pin l2 which is the pivot of the levers 9-9.

outer arms 21.

The inner and outer arms of the lever 28 are connected adjacent their central portions by webs 29. A pin 30 passing through the central portions of the levers rotatably mount the spring seat 3| which is of sufficient size to accommodate a plurality of volute springs 32-32.

The spring seat is formed with laterally projecting fingers 33-34 which respectively move in slots 35-38 in the plates 22 and 23 and serve In this arrangement the pivot 30 of the lever as a guide.

28 and tlae spring seat 3| are disposed between the bracket 39 'l and are thereby appreciably lowered. shown in Fig. 9 the arms 31 with their Each set of arms carries a pivotally mounted supporting member comprising a frame 40 .in which a pair engaging elements 4| are mounted- In Figs. 10 and 11 a pair of volute spri of ground ngs 42-42 are arranged longitudinally or the vehicle and are carried on a spring seat which is formed with opposite 'trunnions 44,-; positioned above the I seating surface of the springs.

carries a'press-fltted sleeve 45 whose outer end is formed into a guide; 46 workinginaguideway 41:

r in a side plate of the bracket 48'. 'A lever 49 is 1 'rotatably mounted on'each sleeve 45 through a bushing 50; and its ends are adapted to l slidably engage oppositely extending arms '5l-'-52 similar I to the'arms '1 of Fig. 2 and in the manner herea. stiil'er spring.

I claim.

Each trunnion "supported, abracket on'said member including spaced vertical guideways, oppositely extending I I arms pivotally mounted on thebracket for independent movement, a supporting member on each I I arm, a. lever having its ends slidably resting on v intermediate portions of them-ms, a. springoseat carried by the lever, guideson the spring seat and lever assembly and engaging the guideways. i and a yielding connection between the spring seat andtheibracketr 2. In a. suspension for vehicles, a memberto be supportedyoppositely extending arms pivotally mounted'on said member for independent movement, a supporting member on each arm, a lever having its ends slidablyresting on intermediate portions ofthea'rms, the :c'entral'part of said lever I I disposed between the arms, a seat pivotally' mountedon :the centralpart of the lever and a.

yielding connection between theses: and the" member to be supported.

- HARRY A. KNOX. 

